Cult

Jumping into the Fog

I can't tell his dad. That's the thought that bashes through my head for the few minutes of silence whilst he goes to have a shower. I didn't even notice the door to the bathroom at the end of the small corridor that leads to the room I slept in.

My room. How deluded is this?

Why can't I tell his dad? I wouldn't. I wouldn't even think of it, but why? Is he forbidden to have girlfriends? Somehow that seems ridiculous. He's twenty for god's sake.

He's screwing the employees, Al giggles evilly.

He's not screwing anything. I wouldn't let it lead to that.

Would I?

I'm pacing around the island of the kitchen. Who am I kidding? Everyone knows it's going to happen eventually, I just didn't expect it to happen like this. Why does he want me to move in with him? It's insane.

His reasons are not that bad. Yeah, it'd be cheaper. Yeah, it'd be more company. I need friends here in Tampa, but this seems incredulous. Why does he want it to happen?

And why was he so consistent that nothing would happen?

And still, why was he so upset when I couldn't remember anything about the beach?

My head is throbbing worse than it ever has. I feel like I'm going to faint again. This is actually insane.

Suddenly a great black monster bursts into the room and sprints towards me. It pounces on me and knocks me back off my feet and hits me to the floor. I hit my head - again - and it licks and slobbers all over my face.

Screaming wildly, I try to get the massive mutt off me. It's too strong. Where the hell has this come from?

On top of everything!

"Ew, get off," I pant as it continues to wipe his sloppy wet tongue all over my face. My head is still throbbing.

The dog looks up suddenly, and wagging its tail more excitedly, tramples over me to the direction over my head. I turn over on my stomach and see Ross standing outside the bathroom. He's stroking the dog's head fiercely with a beast of a grin on his face.

It takes me forever to realise he's topless. He's only wearing jeans, but he has a burgandy t-shirt crumpled in his hand.

"What is that?" I shriek. I'm actually a big fan of dogs, I just don't understand how this monster got in here.

Ross looks up. "It's Bo,"

"Bo?" I ask.

"Yes, my dog, Bo," he says, standing up straight. He looks down at the dog, "Bo, say hi to Alex,"

Bo suddenly lurches forwards and starts attacking my face with his drool again. I try to push him off, but suddenly the realisation that this is Ross' dog hits me and a burst out laughing for some reason.

"Bo!" I hear Ross call and the dog retreats immediately. He looks back at me as I get up off the floor with a crease in between his eyebrows. "You don't like dogs?"

"No, I love dogs," I say, "I just didn't inspect...Bo,"

"He's a boarhound," he says matter-of-factly. "He must have just come in from a walk with Delila. She probably took him and went home,"

"Bo the boarhound," I try to keep a straight face. 

Ross' eyebrow quirks up. "Are you making fun of my dog?"

I smile. "Your dog just licked a layer of skin off of my face. I have the right to make fun of him,"

"Touche," Ross laughs, and for some reason, I know in that moment that things won't be awkward. Maybe I just need to stop worrying about being the usual Alexandra and step into the unknown. Isn't that why I moved to Tampa in the first place, to move as far away from my normal as possible?

I suck on a lolly pop at the tills Monday morning. The day as dragged, and it's a Monday. Nothing can be good when it's a Monday. I've caught Sophie giving me her usual if-only-looks-could-kill glares, and I'm not dead, thankfully.

It's a terribly boring day. Mr Cult is in a bad mood for some reason, and he keeps storming in and out of the shop telling us to be alert, even though there are no customers in here at the moment.

"Aren't there any other employees apart from you, Ross and me?" I ask Sophie through my boredom.

She scoffs. "Ross isn't an employee. He's the boss' son. He just works here for something to do," she says in her voice, full of pure hatred for me. "And not at weekdays. We are the weekday people, there are more people for weekends. That's our busiest time,"

I look at the clock on the wall. It's only five o'clock. I have another hour and a half. Great.

"What's that lump on your head?" Sophie asks, and it feels like she've wanted to ask it for ages. I wonder whether to have fun with her, or whether to tell her the truth.

"I um, this guy... I mean, I hit it on a head board of this bed and..."

"What?" she splutters, spitting out the Fanta she was sipping.

Bingo.

"Do you know where Ross is?" I try to act falsely innocent, and it works a treat. Sophie's face is a total picture.

"R-Ross?" she whispers.

"I hit my head because I fainted and whacked it on a car," I say, unable to hide it any longer. I've had my fun.

"Not on a headboard?" she asks.

"No, on a car," I say. 

"Oh," she seems to visibly relax. It makes me smile.

And it also makes the time seem to speed to half past six. Ross strolls into the shop and sits on the stool in between Sophie and me. We've been at this distance all day. 

"Hey girls," he say with the hint of a grin on his face.

"Hey Ross," Sophie beams. I try to stifle my laugh.

"Busy day?"

"No, it's been rather quiet," she says. My stomach drops.

"Really?" he raises his eyebrows as he turns to me. I look away. Yesterday he'd asked me to take today off work to move in, but I'd said no.

"There's been customers," I say, "Plus, Mr Cult needed that coffee and you were on your lunch break, weren't you Sophie?"

As a compromise we concluded that on his way to work today he'd pick me up along the way with my suitcase and then while I was in work he'd take it back to his house and Delila would unpack it in the spare room - though I personally wanted to unpack my stuff myself. Then he'd take me to his house on the way home from work. All we had to do now, was leave without Sophie realising something was up.

"Well, it's not being a bad worker when you're on your lunch break! Everyone's entitled to half an hour's lunch, even if you don't have any!" her voice is relatively higher than normal. 

"What? You didn't have lunch again?" Ross snaps, and I turn briskly towards him.

"I wasn't hungry," I say. Sophie smiles triumphantly.

"So? You know what happened the last time you didn't eat," he says louder than expected. So now he's going Christian Grey on me. Great.

"Well this time I haven't been surfing in the sun for more than three hours. It's just work!" I snap back.

"Wait." Sophie interrupts us. "Were you there when she hit her head?"

I roll my eyes.

"Yes," Ross snaps. "Come on, Alex,"

He gets up and storms out. I look at Sophie, who is completely dumb struck. I grab my small bag from under the counter and timidly walk out of the shop, knowing full well that Mr Cult is in his office and possibly heard that.

But still, I'm moving in with Ross. That is my decision, because I'm being a different Alex. I'm trying something new. I'm jumping into the fog, not knowing the conclusion, but not caring either.